AT&T won’t charge for FaceTime over cellular — but there’s a catch

Apple’s(s aapl) iOS 6 software update for iPhones is coming soon and will, for the first time, enable its FaceTime video chat service to operate over a cellular connection, instead of just Wi-Fi. Sprint(s S) has said it won’t charge for Apple video calls over its cell network, while Verizon(s VZ) hasn’t given an answer either way. On Friday, AT&T(s T) said it will not charge for FaceTime over cellular either, provided a customer has signed up for one of its new Mobile Share plans.

AT&T will offer FaceTime over Cellular as an added benefit of our new Mobile Share data plans, which were created to meet customers’ growing data needs at a great value. With Mobile Share, the more data you use, the more you save. FaceTime will continue to be available over Wi-Fi for all our customers.

It sounds like, by adding that FaceTime “will continue to be available over Wi-Fi for all customers,” that AT&T won’t simply charge extra for the privilege of using it if you don’t have one of these plans, but that you can’t use it all over cellular; Wi-Fi is the only other option.

AT&T introduced its new shared wireless plans in July and they go into effect Aug. 23. The plans charge a per-line rate for each device, and combine unlimited voice minutes and texts with a flat fee for data, which is shared by each device on the plan.

They’re a little bit cheaper, and optional for new or current customers. So it looks like the carrier is using FaceTime over cellular as a bit of a carrot to encourage heavy users of the video service to convert or sign up for the new plans.

Quote: “With Mobile Share, the more data you use, the more you save….”

On one hand, AT&T is encouraging users to consume more data. On the other, they’re complaining that there’s not enough spectrum for the demand.

That makes no sense. Imagine a drought that reduces a city’s water supplies. The smart thing wouldn’t be to offer cut rates to those who consume more, it’d be to charge more to make sure there’s enough water for everyone.

Or course, from Day One, almost nothing about cellular billing practices has made sense.

Are you serious??? I agree with the deal is horrible, but you took it to the next level when you mentioned the Towers…How dare you !!! I know for sure you don’t live in NYC. I do, and it is something that you do not wish upon anyone.